Hinge-joint for artificial limbs and other purposes.



E, &E. E. MUELLER, HINGE JOINT FOR ARTIFICIAL LIMBS AND OTHER PURPOSES.

APPLICATION TILED DEC. 7, 1910.

3, 8,4i8; Patented Nov. 7, '1911.

i ,To all whom "it may concern:

ENGELBERT MUELLER AND EUGENE E. MUELLER, OF PITTSBURGH, TENNSYLVANIA.

HINGE-JOINT FOR ARTIFTCIAL LIMBS AND OTHER PURPOSES.

eas es.

Be it known that I, ENGELBERT MUELLER and Eucnnn E. MUELLER, residing atPitts- I burgh, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania,citizens of the United States, have invented or discovered certain newand useful Improvements in Hingecaused is of a double nature,.that is,the

bearing parts wear in sucha way that there is a longitudinal playbetween the two con nected pieces, and a lateral play whereby theconnected pieces get out of line.

The object of this invention is to provide a joint with direct bearingelements that will have adjustments to compensate for both thelongitudinal and lateral wearing of the bearin part'sl A further objectof this invention is to provide both of these adjustments in such a waythat the operation of the joint will not be eifective to alter ordestroy its adustment.

Our invention is illustrated in the 'acconr panying drawing in which Fgure 1 is an elevation of our preferred form of joint; Fig. 2 asectional view taken-- on the line IIII of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 an elevationof an alternate construction; and Fig. 4 a sectional view taken on theline I-VIV of Fig. 3.

Like numerals are-used to designate like parts in the several figures.

Referring to Figs. 1' and 2, the member 1 terminates in two lugs 2 and 2which have disposed between them a lug 3, which forms the termination ofthe second memher A. Vie do not wish to limitourselves to any particularform of lugs and connecting members, for their form maybe changed andthe object of our invention be attained. As herein shown thelug 2 has. acircular hole 5, and the lug 2 has a square hole 6, both of which holesare smooth and cen-. 'tered upon an axis that is normal to the line ofdirection of the members 1 and A. The

Specification'of Letters Patent.

P a tented Nov. 2, 1911.

Application filed December 7, 1910. Serial No. 596,076.

hole 7 so placed that, when the parts are assembled, its center will beupon the same axis as that upon which the centers of the holes 5 and 6lie. A set of bearing elements 8, which in this construction are rollers preferably in the form of frusta of cones, is placed to bearexternally against the conical surface of the lug 3 and inter, nallyagainst an internally-threaded sleevenut 9, which also has an externalconically shaped bearing surface. The said sleevenut is provided with asquare shaped portion 10 preferably on its narrower end, which portionfits into the hole 6 and thereby causes the sleeve-nut to rotate withthe member 1. A second sleeve-nut 11, which is screw-threaded bothinternally and externally, is screwed. within the sleeve-nut 9. From theother side of the joint ascrew 12 is inserted to hold the sleeve-nut inproper contact with the rollers. When the parts are disposed as isparticularly shown in Fig. 2, and it is desired to take up somelongitudinal play caused by wear, or when it is desired to have thejoint operate less freely, the sleeve-nut 11' is unscrewed a smallamount, dependent upon how much tightening is to be done, and the screw12 istightened to bring the parts securely into place again. .In thisoperation it will be observed that. by unscrewing the sleeve-nut 11, thesleeve-nut 9 is advanced upon the shaftof the first named sleeve-nut,and that, by tightening the screw 12, the sleeve-nut 9 is movedtoward-the lug 2, and thereby the space within which the rollers aredisposed is diminished. It will be apparent that, by properly decreasingthis roller space, any undesirable longitudlnal play may be taken up.Furthermore, in case the wear had been upon the inside surfaces of thelugs 2 and 2 and the outside surfaces of the lug 3, which surfaces arehereinafter termed lug 3 of the member 4 has a'conically shapedcontact-surfaces so that a certain amount 'of lateral play was caused,the same could be taken up by first slightly unscrewing the screw 12,(the sleeve -'nut 11 being held firmly from rotation) and then screwingin the sleeve-nut 11 while the screw 12 is held from rotation. A furthertightening of both the sleeve-nut and screw will bend the lugs 2 and 2into engagement with the bearing blocks 13. A nut 15 is screwed onopemizien of he jeihjiz, the sieevenuis 9 and 11. 21.11451 the screw 12veil move with rhe lugs 1 2 and 53, so than; there is no friciziunzfl enmeat which might cause the ihi admi par-.is to loosen 0r tighten.

Furthermure the consiruc tion provides adjushnents i0 compensate hut-hfor {L longitudinal and for a lateral Wear.

In F 3 anti 6: We have shown. an site)? hate eonstruc'tion of eminventien wherein. two sets '0']? hearing elements are used in place 01the One set 01" the oihel" eons and in ihis ease the bfiill'ihail-hearin s. I 'fihis com lugs 2 ans 2 movie holes 6 into which isW'BwJ-ihieMied b ing Mock The l with a ci 3 hole ghee? sui'iown a;receive em ',ii' the hsiiis 14L. threugheuthelf extent (4 landed threadsand i-hmugheui the other heiif '1 lefhhzi. led threads, is dispesedWi'z'lilin the each end 0f the screw 19 1*: mg 2 and :2 to line endthan; 2 lateral be m u up by serewing e mucsiipon the mid screw. Thehate *5 Miss 1 up described, it W111 w iii he seqn the-i.

any lengitudimi play (2B ieeseness may be overcome by taming the screw1;, en es is bring the beu-ing hlqcks l3 nearer togeiher. Furthermore,in this censtrucLion ihe perks are so arranged thee-me epei'siion 0:45the joint will not cause may frictional ienczency to alter itsadjustment.

While We have shown and describeri we constructions wherein ourinvention is ac cemphshed, We do not Wish iIQ limit ourselves to theseconstmctions or to the (h:- tnils of construction herein shes'vn anddescribed for, obvieusly, changes may h made by those skilled in the artwithouhd artizig from the spirit (if our invention,

will he midei'stood that the term hear- 1 surfaces used in the ciaims isdeem-i1 1 he surfaces between which the bear h1g5 elements are disposed,11nd that the eon :urfeces are the ems em; +1 faces L l-the lugs 21s ishcrcinhe We chum our invention: 1. Ihi a bearing-element iungegomt f" :1limbs and other purpose vhlerl wiih conmct surfaces and surfaces, zueunsi'er arijusting the reietion 01; said contact surfaces, independent in iadjusting ii relation of said hearing" su I fzice, both oii .idmijusting means arranged. so as 1101 L0 he exiles-ted by the epemii m0;; the joint, subsi'zmii'iaiiy as described.

A joint for artificial limbs aid other phi-poses wnneeting; a memberierminating filth. two lugs in 2. second member iermimating with 21single hag disposed between the hm .iuris 0:? the fii'st named lruenibersaid SLVL-l'li lugs pm'wided with apei'tm'es, 2 renheetihgg" j disposedvithin said sperfm'es, hem'i 'snosed around and 12 this said aperture useserihed iiigi a-jeim for a-iriifieiai ii s, the combination 0'3? i.member, a c'oi'meeiiis eiemenis inciuded. in 21:

ed by end ween the ihe inner face of 521'. tong i of said ennuhu'spacebeing ad sten' iz 5 described In. a; hingmjeint Lifer artificial limbse115.

e'iher purposes, the combination ()f a twewith [L iimiimg; well ehliquet0 the horizom ml, and hearing elements (imposed With- 1 x1 saidannulair space, substeniieily de- .sm'ihefl 5. in a hinge-301m forartlficmi iuinhs and the combination Of a mm sieevw ether purposes,hugged lIlQUliJGF-f, a tongue member nus with a eenicel external surfacedi. wii'hiii he spei'iiures of said iZWO member and iengue, fixed t0 1.said two-lunged member, gm sum z: mun (1 said siee emix provided with. as

named s when sleeve-huh, Suva A second described,

In iesiimeny \i'he'reoi We have hereunto 'sei: mu: hand i

